dodge



Feb. 21, 1956 M. L. DODGE 2,735,119

SHOE PRESSING MACHINE Filed June 30, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet l a 7 ab",

4 5 X4! If 44 Feb. 21, 1956 M. DODGE SHOE PRESSING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 30, 1954 Feb. 21, 1956 DODGE 2,735,119

SHOE PRESSING MACHINE Filed June 30, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 SHOE PRESSING MACHINE Milton L. Dodge, Newburyport, Mass assignor to Compo Shoe Machinery Corporation, Boston, Mass, a corporation of Delaware Application June 30, 1954, Serial No. 440,516 22 Claims. (Cl. 12-51) This invention relates to machines for pressing shoes to improve their appearance, shape, and fit, and more particularly as a final finishing operation in a shoe factory.

The pressing action is done between heated forms and pressure members. When the heat employed is substantial, the length of permissible pressing time to avoid damage to the shoe materials is correspondingly reduced. Heretofore, however, the timing has varied in accordance with the care exercised by the workman and the attention to the various matters with which he may be occupied. Since time of treatment may be shortened by using a high temperature, it is desirable for high production that the temperature be maintained high, but the use of high temperature requires more accurate timing if proper results and without damage to the shoe are to he expected.

One object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide an automatic timer and means by which a relatively high heat may be maintained. The timer acts automatically to release the pressure after a time predetermined to avoid damage to the shoe or to produce the maximum benefit to the shoe in the shortest possible time. This facilitates high production coupled with high quality of the completed product.

Means are also provided by which the operator may be made aware of the temperature employed.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means for narrowing the counter portion of the shoe during the pressing operation as the withdrawal of the shoe from the last after the shoe-making operations causes the counters to spread.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means for pressing and shaping the heel end of the shoe as well as its sides, adjacent to the foot opening, with means by which the heel end portion is pressed prior to the application of side pressure.

Still another object is to provide independent adjustments for different portions of the side presser elements by which the pressure may be distributed as desired regardless of the variations in contour of the pressing forms.

A further object is to provide means by which automatic equalization of pressure on opposite sides of the shoe is effected.

For a complete understanding of this invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a view partly in side elevation and partly broken away and in section of a shoe pressing machine embodying the invention.

Figures 2 and 3 are detail sectional views on lines 2-2 and 33, respectively, of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view similar to a portion of Figure 1 but showing a modification.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional View on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view lengthwise through a portion of the inner form, and an outer pressure member of modified construction.

nitecl States Patent 6 Figure 7 is a detail sectional view ure 6.

Referring first to Figures 1, 2, and 3, the pressing machine as shown comprises a stand 1 to which is fixed an upright post 2 having its upper end formed as a forward and downwardly curved gooseneck 3, to the forward end of which is secured a form 4 over which a shoe to be pressed may be placed.

Arranged in a horizontal opening through the upright post 2 is a fluid pressure cylinder 5 having a piston 6 therein provided with a piston rod 7 which projects through the wall 8 of the cylinder and toward the rear or heel end of the form 4. This piston rod 7 carries on its forward end a frame comprising a member 10 to the lower edge of which is pivoted, .at horizontally spaced points, a pair of arms 11. These extend forwardly beneath the form 4 and their forward ends are up-turned as at 12. To these forward ends are secured the for ward edge portions of a loop member 15 of sheet mate rial preferably of leather. This leather loop extends backwardiy along opposite sides of the form 4 and around back of the heel end of the form at 16.

This rear portion 16 of the member 15 which loops around the rear or he'el end of the form is secured as by one or more rivets 17 to a plate 18 which is slidably mounted on headed pins 19 secured to and projecting forwardly from the member 16. The forward ends of the arms 11 are normally pressed away from each other as by leaf springs 29 (see Figure 3) one end of each of which is secured to the member 19. The opposite end portion of each spring 20 bears against the inner face of the corresponding arm 11. These springs normally press the arms apart so as to open up the loop member 15, permitting a shoe to be placed over the form 4 easily.

The member 19, as shown best in Figure 3, is curved on its forward face laterally substantially to the contour of the loop of the sheet material member 15 and vertically, as shown in Figure 1, to the contour of the form and it is normally pressed forwardly to the limit determined by the heads of the members 19 as by coil springs 21 surrounding the pins 19 and positioned between the forward face of the member 10 and the rear face of the member 19. The member 10 with the parts carried thereby is normally pressed backwardly so that the member 15 is out of contact with the rear end of the shoe form 4 as by a spring 25 surrounding a long bolt 26 (Figure l), the forward end of which is secured to the upper portion of the member 10, and slidably projects rearwardly through the gooseneck portion 3. The spring 25 surrounding the bolt 26 and reacting between the head 27 and this bolt and the base 28 of a socket in the gooseueck 3, acts to retract the member 10 and the parts carried thereby and there hold them so that the form is accessible for the placing or removal of a shoe.

The piston 6, as shown in Figure 1, may be provided with a packing 35 at its rear face and it may receive fluid under pressure against this face, as through a pipe 36 communicating with a passage 37, through a block 38 which closes off the rear end of the cylinder 5. The manner of control of fluid pressure into or from the rear end of the cylinder 5 will later be described.

Besides the rear pressing means comprising the parts it and those carried thereby, means are provided for pressing the sides of the member 15 against the sides of the shoe form toward the upper edge of the shoe form, which will be adjacent to the foot opening of a shoe carried thereby. This presser means may comprise the presser pads 49 shown best in Figure 2, the confronting faces of which may engage the outer faces of the two sides of the member 15 and press it against the form. These pads 40 are carried at the upper ends of arms or on line 7-7 of Figlevers 41, each of which is fulcrumed as at 42 on a bracket portion 43 of the support 1. The lower end portions of the arms 41 are provided with cam follower rolls 44 which are spaced apart but which are normally drawn toward each other as by springs 45 (see Figures 1 and 2) which connect the extended ends of pivot shafts 46 on which the follower rolls 44 are journaled. These follower rolls 44 are each to be contacted by a cam 47 which is carried by a piston 50.

This piston 50 is slidable in an upright cylinder 51 beneath the form 4 and which is suspended somewhat loosely so as to permit automatic equalization of pressure against the sides of the shoe when the cam 47 is lifted. This suspension is accomplished, as shown, by the use of taper headed bolts 52, the heads of which engage in tapered openings 53 in the upper wall 54 of the support 1. The lower ends of these bolts 52 extend through reversely tapered openings 55 in lateral extensions 56 from the lower end 57 of the fluid cylinder 51. The piston 50 has a cylinder packing element 48 secured to its lower face by a screw-held disk 49. The support 1 has legs 60 which project through openings in a supporting bench 61 by which the support 1 is carried and the lower ends of these legs 60 are connected through eye bolts 64 and coil springs 62 with the lateral extensions 56 of the cylinder 51. This mounting permits some lateral motion of the cylinder and the parts carried thereby which allows for automatic equalization of the pressures exerted by the side presser members on the sides of the shoe supported on the form 4, the parts being urged toward central position, however, by the springs 62.

In the manufacture of shoes it is found that the removal of the shoes from their supporting lasts tends to spread the counter portions. it is desirable, however, that the counter portion be thereafter narrowed, both for better fit of the shoe and for appearance, and in order to effect such narrowing the present machine makes use of a pair of pressure pads each carried by a shank portion 71 axially adjustable through an opening 72 in each of the arms 41. In order to provide for such axial adjustment the shank portions 71 are backed up by screws 73 each threaded through the opening 72 and provided at its outer end with a knurled head 74 by which it may be turned, and with a knurled lock nut 75 threaded thereon and engaging the outer face of a boss 76 on the corresponding arm for securing the screw 73 in adjusted position. These pressure pads 70, it will be noted from an inspection of Figure 2, are below the pads 40 but are movable therewith so that as the pads 40 press the marginal portion of the shoe upper about its foot opening inwardly against the form, these pads engage the member 15 opposite to the counter portions of the shoe and press the sides of the counter portions inwardly, thus to narrow the counter portion.

In order to produce a proper pressing action on the shoe, the inner form 4 is heated, and in order to facilitate the use of a high temperature which is necessary for the most satisfactory operation, and which at the same time makes it essential that the pressing action be terminated at a time sufficiently short to avoid damaging the shoe, means are provided by which the form may be heated to the desired temperature with automatic timer means by which the pressing action is released at the expiration of the short time necessary to avoid damaging the shoe.

As before noted, also, it is found desirable to press the heel end of the shoe forwardly against the form in order to properly shape the heel end, and to do this prior to the effecting of the side pressure so that when the side pressure is accomplished, the member 15 is in its proper forward position for the heel end pressing. In Figure 1 an automatic arrangement for producing the desired timing has been illustrated, this mechanism also providing for the desired preliminary heel pressing followed by the side pressing.

The form 4 may be heated as by the use of an electric heating element 80 seated in a socket 81 in the form, this socket being normally closed as by a cover plate 82. The conductors for the heating element extend upwardly through the form, and have in series therewith a suitable temperature regulator shown at 83 which is provided with a regulating knob 84 at its outer end provided with a pointer 85 traveling around a stationary indicating disk 86. A thermometer 3'7 may be seated in a socket 88 in the form, this being useful to check the temperature as regulated by the thermostat or other heating regulator 83. The conductors 89 and 90 lead to the regulator and heating element from any suitable source of electric power.

Referring to Figure 1, the control of fluid pressure to the cylinders 5 and 51 is effected electrically. An electrically operated timer diagrammatically shown at A in Figure 1 of the well known adjustable automatic re-set type such as is manufactured by R. W. Cramer Company, Eagle Signal Company, and others, is driven by a motor M through a reduction gear to actuate a switch 101 which in its inoperative position is shown in dotted lines. The line L is connected directly to one side of the motor M and to one side of the solenoid 104. When the foot or push button switch 102 is closed, the motor M is enrgized from the leads L and L and immediately the switch 101 is snapped to the full line position by the solenoid 103 in series with the motor M, which energizes the solenoid 104, lifting the core 105 slidable within a cylinder 106 and opens the valve 107. After a predetermined adjustable time during which the motor M operates, the switch arm 101 is released and is snapped back to the dotted line inoperative position as by a spring 109, deenerigizing the solenoid 104 and the holding switch solenoid 102a for the motor M. Such a timer is commonly provided with a knob and dial (not shown) to hold the motor and solenoid 104 energized for a desired adjustable period of time. Opening the valve 107 allows air under pressure to flow from a supply pipe 108 past the valve 107 into the pipe 36. From there it passes to the rear face of the piston 6 which is pushed forwardly, thus pressing the rear end of the sheet material member 15 against the heel portion of a shoe placed over the form. When the heel pressing mechanism reaches its fully pressed position, the head 110 of a bolt 111 threaded into a plug 112, which may be employed to secure the packing 35 to the piston 6, contacts the rear face of a valve plate 113 and moves it forwardly and opens a passage 114 past a check valve 115 in a passage 116 which leads into a pipe 117 which conducts fluid under pressure to the lower side of the piston 50. This lifts this piston 50, causing the side pressure pads 40 and the counter narrowing pads 70 to move inwardly, pressing the side portions of the shoe upper around the foot opening against the shoe form and narrowing the counter portion of the shoe. This continues until the timer 100 acts automatically to deenergize the solenoid 104. This allows a spring 120 to air gravity in lowering the plunger 105, closing the valve 107 and opening a valve 121 carried by the same stern as the valve 107 which allows air from the pipe 36 to escape past the valve 121 and through a discharge port 122 to the atmosphere.

This reduces the pressure back of the piston 6 which allows the check valve 115 to close, since the pressure in the pipe 117 is now higher than that in the pipe 36. This allows the higher pressure in the pipe 117 to pass into passage 125 in the plug 38 overbal'mcing the pressure against the right hand end of the valve 127 which is in communication with the space to the left of the piston 6 through clearance past the member 113. This opens the valve 127 and allows the air to escape from the pipe 117 through the discharge port 123. This permits the springs 130, which connect a cross pin 131 in the cam member 47, to retract this cam member and the piston'50, and the spring 25 also pulls rearwardly on the heel pressing mechanism so that the pressures against the side and rear end of the loop 15 are released and the parts granite opened for the removal of the treated shoe. When the piston 6 becomes fully retracted, the head of the bolt 111 contacts the valve member 127 and closes off the discharge port 128.

In Figures 4 and 5 there is shown a modification in which the relative timing of the heel presser mechanism and the side presser mechanism is eifected by mechanical means without the complications of the valve mechanism shown in Figure 1. The side presser mechanism may be actuated by the fluid pressure piston 50 which is mounted the same as is shown in Figures 1 and 2, and which moves a cam 47 in the same way as previously described. The heel presser mechanism, including the member 10a, which carries the same parts as shown in Figures 1 and 3 is provided in this modification with an inclined lower cam face with which cooperates a matingly inclined face 151 on a cam member 152. This cam member 152 is formed as a bar provided with an obtuse angle portion 153 and a substantially vertical portion 154. The portion 154 is pivoted on the pivot 155 to a lever 156 fulcrumed at 157 on a bracket 158 bolted to the support 1. The forward end 159 of the lever 156 is extended through a slot 1560 centrally disposed in the cam member E-7'a and this portion 159 bears over the upper edge of the slot 1560.

Also cooperating with the upper end of the cam bar 152 is an upper cam face 160 on a fixed cam member 161. This cam member 161 is adjustable vertically, and for this purpose it slidably passes through a sleeve 162 which may be secured by screws 163 to the lower portion of the gooseneck member 3. Vertical adjustment is produced by adjustin a screw 165 threaded through an extension 166 of the sleeve 162 and passing through a flange plate 163 secured to the under face of the cam member 161. This cam member 161 is so positioned vertically that when the piston 50 is lifted to move the side pressing pads toward operative position, the cam bar 152 is raised, and during the initial portion of its lifting, it wedges the member 10a forwardly or to the right as shown in Figure 4. As the cam bar 152 continues to rise, its curved cam extremity 164 bearing on the cam face 1&0 permits this cam member 152 to rock rearwardly until it extends over the upper end of the cam 161, and during this swinging motion of the cam member 153 about its pivot 155, me member 1012 is not pressed forwardly. Thus on initial application of fluid under pressure to the under face of the piston 50. the rear pressing mechanism is moved forwardly to engage and press the shoe against the heel end of the form, after which the cam bar 152 passes between the upper end of the cam 161 and the cam face of the member 10a so that further upward motion of the piston 50 is ineffective to move the heel presser mechanism forwardly against the shoe. When this occurs the side presser members approach side pressing position, so that continued motion causes them to press the shoe as desired as previously described with reference to the construction of Figures 1, 2 and 3.

With this arrangement it is, of course, unnecessary to use the cylinder 5 as shown in Figure 1, and the timer- 100 then controls the discharge of fluid pressure through the pipe 117 directly, after the pressure has been on for a sufficient length of time for which the timer has been set in view of the temperature employed. This arrange ment is somewhat simpler than the fluid pressure mechanism shown in Figure 1, but in most cases it is entirely effective for the intended purpose.

In Figures 6 and 7 there are shown constructions of side presser members which are designed to correct for changes in contour of different shoe forms. Since these forms are of irregular shape, it is a diflicult matter to make them identical and such action is wholly unneces sary when the constructions of Figures 6 and 7 are employed. In these figures, the side presser member is formed with a plate 200 and the pressure is applied to the shoe from the plate 200 through a sectional pad 201.

Each section of the pad 201 is connected to the member 200 by an individually adjustable means which permits the different sections of the pad 201 to be moved differently. These adjustable means comprise a series of pressure transmitting elements located between the member 200 and the sections of the rubber pad 201.

As shown in Figures 6 and 7, such connecting means includes for each a stud 202 which is threaded through a perforation in the member 200 and is secured in position by a lock nut 199. The inner end of each of the elements 202 is formed tapered and this tapered end rests Within a recess 203 in an abutment element 204. This element 204 extends through a carrier plate 210 for each pad section and is secured in the body of the pad section by any suitable means. As shown it is provided with an enlarged head 205 which is embedded in the material of the pad. The periphery of the element 204 is provided with a spiral groove within which may be seated a coil spring 206 which also engages about the periphery of an element 207 carried by the screw 202 and which bears against an abutment washer 208 on the element 207. The coil spring 206 secures the elements 204 and 207 to gegther with capability of not only a resilient pressure therebetween, but also tends to hold them in axial alinement, but with capability of the member 202 rocking on its point engagement with the member 204 within the conical recess 203. This permits the elements 204 to rock in any direction relative to the corresponding element 207, although the elements 207 and 204 are normally urged into coaxial relation by the springs 206. Each one of the elements 202 is independently adjustable axially, being fixed in adjusted position by its lock nut 190, and as the adjustments are independent for each of these three connecting mechanisms, it will be apparent that the contour of the inner face of the rubber cushion 201 may be adjusted by the relative adjustment of the elements 202. By this means the inner face of the presser member may be adjusted to provide for different contours of shoes and forms, but when once adjusted, the adjustment remains free from disturbance during the operation of the machine.

In the operation of the machine, the operator places a shoe on the form with its heel end inwardly, the form having been raised to the proper temperature, and the machine is then set into action to cause the pressing members, first that engaging the rear 0r heel end, to press that portion of the shoe against the form and then the side presser members move into press the sides, while the counter pressing elements pinch the sides of the counter inwardly so as to narrow the counter portion of the shoe. As soon as the pressing has been effected for the desired time as controlled by the timer, the shoe pressing means are retracted, and the shoe freed for removal and replacement by another shoe to be treated.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 307,889, filed September 4, 1952, for Shoe Pressing Machine.

From the foregoing description of certain embodiments of this invention, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that further changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A shoe pressing machine comprising a form over which a shoe to be pressed may be placed, means for pressing a shoe against said form, means for heating said form, mechanism for closing and opening said pressing means relative to a shoe on said form, timing mechanism, and means controlled by said timing mechanism actuating said opening and closing mechanism to open said pressing means after a predetermined time during which said pressing means has been closed.

2. A shoe pressing machine comprising a form over which a shoe to be pressed may be placed, means for pressing a shoe against said form, yielding means for 7 opening and holding said pressing means open, fluid pressure means for closing said pressing means relative to a shoe on said form, timing mechanism, and a valve opening said fluid pressure means to discharge controlled by said timing means to open after a predetermined time during which said pressing means has been closed.

3. A shoe pressing machine comprising a form over which a shoe to be pressed may be placed, a frame supported outwardly of said form, a loop of flexible material having its forward margin carried by said frame and extending along the sides and heel end of said form and outwardly of a shoe supported on said form, means for pressing the sides of said loop against the shoe and said shoe against said form, means for pressing the heel end of said loop against the shoe and the heel end of the shoe against said form, and means for first actuating said heel end pressing means and then said side pressing means to press the shoe.

4. A shoe pressing machine as described in claim 3 in which said actuating means is connected to said heel pressing means by means including a cam mechanism becoming inoperative to further move said heel pressing means when said heel pressing means reaches a fully pressed condition while said side pressing means continues its motions to fully pressed conditions.

5. A machine as described in claim 3 in which said actuating means is connected to said heel pressing means by means including a cam connected to said actuating means, a normally stationary cam cooperating with said first mentioned cam to control certain motions of said first mentioned cam, and a cam bearing on and controlled by said first mentioned cam and operatively connected to said heel pressing means.

6. A shoe pressing machine comprising a form over which a shoe to be pressed may be placed, means for pressing the sides of a shoe placed over said form against said form, other means for pressing another portion of the shoe against the corresponding part of said form, fluid pressure cylinder and piston means for actuating each of said presser means, a valve controlling one of said fluid pressure means by the position of said other fluid pressure means, and a valve controlling the other of said fluid pressure means.

7. A shoe pressing machine comprising a form over which a shoe to be pressed may be placed, means for pressing the sides of a shoe placed over said form against said form, other means for pressing another portion of the shoe against the corresponding part of said form, fluid pressure cylinder and piston means for actuating each of said presser means, and a valve operatively controlled by one of said cylinder and piston means to actuate the other of said cylinder and piston means to produce pressure of its pressing means on the shoe and time controlled to thereafter release such pressure.

8. A shoe pressing machine comprising a form over i which a shoe to be pressed may be placed, means for pressing an end portion of the shoe against said form, means for pressing the sides of the shoe against said form, a fluid pressure cylinder beyond said end, a piston in said cylinder operatively connected to said end portion pressing means, a second fluid pressure cylinder, a piston in said second cylinder operatively connected to said side pressing means, a valve controlling admission of fluid under pressure from said first mentioned cylinder to said second cylinder, an operating element for said valve connected to said first mentioned piston to permit fluid under pressure to flow from said first mentioned cylinder to said second cylinder when said first mentioned piston is in shoe-pressing position, means controlled by the operator for admitting fluid pressure to said first mentioned cylinder, time controlled means to thereafter discharge fluid pressure from said first mentioned cylinder, and means controlled by the drop in pressure in said first mentioned cylinder to discharge fluid pressure from said second cylinder.

9. A shoe pressing machine, comprising a form over which a shoe to be pressed may be placed, means for pressing the marginal portion of the upper of a shoe about the foot opening against said form, and means carried by said pressing means engaging with the counter portion of the shoe and acting thereon as said pressing means approaches pressing position to narrow the counter portion of the shoe. 7

10. A shoe pressing machine comprising a form over which a shoe to be pressed may be placed, a pair of arms movable toward and from opposite sides of said form, pressing members carried by said arms in position to press the marginal side portions of the upper of a shoe carried by said form about the foot opening against said form when said arms are moved toward said form, and an element carried by each of said arms in position to engage the counter portion of the shoe and to press said counter portion together when said arms are moved toward said form.

11. A shoe pressing machine comprising a form over which a shoe to be pressed may be placed, a pair of arms movable toward and from opposite sides of said form, pressing members carried by said arms in position to press the marginal side portions of the upper of a shoe carried by said form about the foot opening against said form when said arms are moved toward said form, and an element carried by each of said arms in position to engage the counter portion of the shoe and to press said counter portion together when said arms are moved toward said form, said counter-engaging elements being adjustably carried by said arms independently of said presser members.

12. A shoe pressing machine comprising a support, a gooseneck member carried by said support and having a forward and downwardly curved extremity, a shoe supporting form secured to said extremity, a member slidably supported by said support for motion toward and from one end of said form, a pair of arms pivoted to said member at spaced points and extending forwardly of said form and having upwardly extended forward ends, a loop of sheet material secured at its forward edges to said forward ends and enclosing the sides and heel end of said form, spring means engaging said arms and yieldingly spacing their forward ends, and means actuable to press the sides of said ioop toward the sides of said form.

13. A shoe pressing machine comprising a support, a gooseneck member carried by said support and having a forward and downwardly curved extremity, a shoe supporting form secured to said extremity, a member slidably supported by said support for motion toward and from one end of said form, a pair of arms pivoted to said memher at spaced points and extending forwardly of said form and having upwardly extended forward ends, a loop of sheet material secured at its forward edges to said forward ends and enclosing the sides and heel end of said form, spring means engaging said arms and yieldingly spacing their forward ends, and means actuable to force said member forwardly to press'the intermediate portion of said loop toward the adjacent end of said form.

14. A shoe pressing machine comprising a support, a gooseneck member carried by said support and having a forward and downwardly curved extremity, a shoe supporting form secured to said extremity, a member slidably supported by said support for motion toward and from one end of said form, a pair of arms pivoted to said member at spaced points and extending'forwardly of said form and having upwardly extended forward ends, a loop of sheet material secured at its forward edges to said forward ends and enclosing the sides and heel end of said form, spring means engaging said arms and yieldingly spacing their forward ends, means actuable to press the intermediate portion of said loop toward the adjacent end of said form, and means actuable to press the sides of said loop toward the sides of said form.

15. A shoe pressing machine comprising a support, a gooseneck member carried by said support and having a forward and downwardly curved extremity, a shoe supporting form secured to said extremity, a member slidably supported by said support for motion toward and from one end of said form, a pair of arms pivoted to said member at spaced points and extending forwardly of said form and having upwardly extended forward ends, a loop of sheet material secured at its forward edges to said forward ends and enclosing the sides and heel end of said form, spring means engaging said arms and yieldingly spacing their forward ends, means actuable to press the intermediate portion of said loop toward the adjacent end of said form, and means actuable after a predetermined extent of pressure of said intermediate portion to press the sides of said loop toward the sides of said form.

16. In combination, a support, a form over which a shoe may be placed carried by said form, a pair of arms pivoted to said support, a presser pad carried by each of said arms adjacent to one end positioned to be moved toward and from a side of said form on swinging of its respective lever, cam followers carried by each of said levers, a cam movable between said followers and shaped to separate said followers and move said pads toward said form, means for moving said cam, and a holder for said cam and moving means yieldingly carried by said support and through such yielding equalizing the pressure of said pads against a shoe supported on said form.

17. A shoe pressing machine comprising a support, a form over which a shoe may be placed, means carrying said form in elevated position by said support, a pair of levers fulcrumed on said support below said form, a pressing pad carried at the upper end of each of said levers and movable by the swinging of its respective lever from and toward said form, a follower carried by the lower end of each lever, a cam movable up and down between and in engagement with said followers to spread said followers and swing said pads toward said form, means suspending said cam from said support for swinging motion to equalize the pressure of said pads against a shoe on said form as said cam is lifted, and means for lifting and lowering said cam.

18. A shoe pressing machine comprising a support, a form over which a shoe may be placed, means carrying said form in elevated position by said support, a pair of levers fulcrumed on said support below said form, a pressing pad carried at the upper end of each of said levers and movable by the swinging of its respective lever from and toward said form, a follower carried by the lower end of each lever, an upright open top fluid pressure cylinder 10 loosely suspended from said support, a piston within said cylinder, a cam carried by said piston in position to contact said followers and spread the lower ends of said levers and swing said pads toward a shoe on said form as said piston is lifted, and means for supplying and discharging fluid under pressure to said cylinder beneath said piston.

19. A presser member comprising a base member, a pad of yieldable material spaced from said base member, and a plurality of members connecting said pad and base member, each of said connecting members comprising a pair of elements one carried by said pad and the other carried by said base member, one of said elements being movable angularly on the other of said elements, and yielding means engaging said elements and tending to hold said ele ments in one angular relation.

20. A presser member comprising a base member, a pad of yieldable material spaced from said base member, and a plurality of members connecting said pad and base member, each of said connecting members comprising a pair of elements one carried by said pad and the other carried by said base member, one of said elements being movable angularly on the other of said elements, and yielding means engaging said elements and tending to hold said elements in one angular relation, said membercarrying elements being adjustable relative to said base member from and toward said pad.

217 A machine of the class described, comprising means for pressing the upper of a shoe about the foot opening, timing means, connections between said pressing and timing means starting the operation of said timing means by the commencement of the pressing action of said pressing means, and means actuated by said timing means after a predetermined time from the start of the pressing action for releasing the shoe from said pressing means.

22. A machine of the class described, comprising pads for pressing a shoe upper about the foot opening, and means separate from said pressing pads for pressing opposite sides of the counter portion of the shoe toward each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,854,398 Dodge et a1. Apr. 19, 1932 2,211,042 Altvater Aug. 13, 1940 2,293,282 Dodge Aug. 18, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 24,667 Great Britain of 1893 356,685 Germany July 21, 1922 

